Fitness industry in Saudi Arabia is booming, says GymNation CEO
GymNation is preparing to expand in the Middle East and plans to increase investments in technology and artificial intelligence as demand for its low-cost gym membership model, which has attracted more than 25,000 members in Saudi Arabia, has particularly attracted female fitness consumers resonance.
New data recently released by the Global Health Institute highlights Saudi Arabia’s $19.8 billion health economy, cementing its position as one of the fastest growing health markets in the MENA region.
“We’ve opened 10 gyms this year, six of which are in Saudi Arabia, and all have opened on time, on budget, and exceeded our members’ expectations,” said Loren Holland, founder and CEO of GymNation. “We’ve had an extremely warm welcome. and has found Saudi Arabia to be a highly business-friendly environment, thanks to the continued support of the Ministry of Investment, which has been instrumental in GymNation’s expansion into the Kingdom.”
Holland recently told Entrepreneur Not only is the fitness industry in Saudi Arabia booming, but it’s also a market that GymNation has been working to enter for years. He is also encouraged by the government’s focus on increasing fitness participation and comprehensively promoting national health, laying the foundation for GymNation’s long-term goals.
“This is an incredibly exciting time and GymNation wants to be at the forefront of driving these initiatives as the region’s ‘athletic partner,’” Holland said. “We are excited to continue to champion healthy and active lifestyles and support the communities we serve in becoming better versions of themselves, no matter what their fitness goals are.”
Notably, GymNation’s Saudi female membership is surpassing that of male members, a trend that is likely to continue given the company’s plans to invest more than $1.5 million in Pilates studios at existing and future locations. Additionally, GymNation plans to launch health and recovery products in the first quarter of 2025.
“Our uniform pricing across genders has resonated strongly with the market, with women-only gyms tending to be significantly more expensive than men’s gyms,” Holland said.
Holland told the publication that GymNation plans to open 20 to 30 new sites over the next 12 months, including in new markets such as Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar. Going forward, he expects to expand the gym chain to more than 100 locations in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, while also exploring possibilities in the Middle East and North Africa.
this gym operator It has also introduced competitive racing brand Hyrox to the region, with plans to open the Hyrox Performance Center in the coming months as a dedicated center for training hybrid athletes in the Middle East.
GymNation has a strong track record in serving the Middle East fitness market: PureGym, Anytime Fitness, Australian boxing fitness franchise UBX and wearables manufacturer Whoop have all identified growth potential in the region and growing interest in health and fitness.
